Monday, August 30

Late Summer Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto

Do you hear them? I do. It's the collective groan of gardeners across the country desperate to eat, cook, and preserve their stockpiles of late summer vegetables and herbs such as corn, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and basil.

I'm here to help. Toss them all into a big pot for this Late Summer Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto. You can double it, triple it and even freeze it. What more can you ask for?

1. To make basil pesto heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add garlic, and heat through until slightly golden (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a food processor.

2. In the same skillet, add pinenuts, and toast 1-2 minutes, until golden; add to food processor. Add basil leaves, cheese, water, salt, and pepper. Pour olive oil though processor chute (or simply add with other ingredients), and process until smooth. Note: If you’re not going to use your pesto immediately, then pour in a small sealable container and cover with a layer of olive oil. This will prevent the pesto from turning brown.

3. Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add red bell pepper and zucchini, and cook 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add corn and green beans; cook another 3-4 minutes, until string beans are cooked through yet firm. Add cherry tomatoes and 1/2 cup pesto; stir well to combine for about 1 minute and remove from heat. Taste. Season with salt and pepper, and add more pesto, if desired. If you prefer it thinner, add a little more broth. Garnish individual servings with shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired.

This is right up my alley. I tried a tomato and vegetable soup the other day that was less than edible. It got so bad that I was pulling anything I could out of my pantry to try and salvage it. I think I'll use this recipe to make up for it... :)